Rare lizards placed in slow cooker in alleged bid to smuggle them into Hong Kong

Ulises Izquierdo

Published: 25/10/2019Updated: 25 October 2019 1:07 pm

Villagers lose out in plan to save Komodo dragon

Two lizards were found in a package that was to be posted to Hong Kong. Credit: Getty/AAP

A man caught on camera allegedly posting two rare lizards in the mail to Hong Kong has been arrested during a police raid in Melbourne.

The package was intercepted at Melbourne Airport in January and found to contain an albino blue tongue and a shingleback lizard which were taped, stuffed in a sock and put in the bottom of a rice cooker.

In the video above, Indonesian villagers displaced in plan to save Komodo dragon

A 35-year-old man was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into an illegal wildlife smuggling ring, which had resulted in three arrests in March.

The arrests come after a dozen lizards were found during raids in Narre Warren, Oakleigh and Clayton.

One of more than 150 lizards seized between June 2018 and February 2019. Credit: Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

A 27-year-old Chatswood man was arrested in Sydney earlier this month as part of the same investigation, and he faces 16 charges of attempting to smuggle wildlife to Hong Kong.

Lizards rescued

More than 150 lizards were intercepted at Melbourne Airport between June 2018 and February 2019, with a total value estimated at more than $550,000.

The lizards were allegedly found stuffed into toys, electronics and chip packets.

The rescued animals have been taken to zoos or sanctuaries.

Six had to be euthanised because of their poor condition.

"These arrests support our continued focus on wildlife crime and reflect the seriousness and the cruelty of smuggling live wildlife", Chief Conservation Regulator Kate Gavens said.